The day opened with a presentation by the Minister, in which she outlined key milestones in the history of Estonian education and discussed the current reform agenda. She focused in greater detail on the transition to Estonian-language education and on the broader role of artificial intelligence in education, highlighting both the lessons learned so far and future directions.
“Estonia is currently taking two major leaps at once – the transition to Estonian-language education and the deliberate integration of artificial intelligence into education. Both are historic changes that are generating interest well beyond Estonia – whether in strengthening social cohesion through a shared language of instruction or in the meaningful and responsible use of artificial intelligence. For us, it is important to explain these steps openly, share our experiences, and learn together with our partners how to lead such transformations,” said Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas.
During the seminar, guests were also introduced to two major international flagship events that will bring leading education policymakers from around the world to Estonia next year. In March 2026, Estonia will host the International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP), and in May, as chair of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation format NB8, Estonia will host a meeting of the Nordic and Baltic ministers responsible for higher education and research.
In the second part of the event, a panel discussion moderated by Ivo Visak, CEO of the AI-Leap Foundation, took place. The panel featured Jaan Aru, Associate Professor at the Institute of Computer Science of the University of Tartu; Grete Arro, Senior Research Fellow in Educational Psychology at Tallinn University; and AI-Leap Foundation chief technological consultant Meri-Kris Jaama. The discussion explored the background of the AI-Leap programme and the broader impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning.
Photos from the event: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCCSRM
